SUFFERING a stroke will be a frightening prospect for any patient and their friends and family.
The Warrington Guardian meets the dedicated team, led by Michelle Kidd, who help them on the road to recovery.
WORKING for the Stroke Association has been a rewarding time for Jacquelyn Berry after her father had a stroke 20 years ago.
She has been working as an information, advice and support co-ordinator for 18 years and was involved with setting up the charity’s branch in Warrington.
The 57-year-old said: “Things have changed enormously since 20 years ago and I wanted to be involved making sure people get the help and support they need after a stroke.
“Strokes strike suddenly and unexpectedly and nobody is prepared for it so we help people adjust to the changes it brings.
“We’re not a nurse or social worker, it’s a befriending role and we walk beside patients through their stroke journey.”
The team work alongside patients for around 12 months after their stroke and help them regain their confidence as well as spreading prevention advice and encouraging people to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
The 48-year-old meets patients and their families on the ward before they go home and for six weeks after.
She said: “It’s a big change going home and life is often very different and they’re more dependent on people but it’s inspirational seeing people get home.”
SPEED is of the essence for Julie Gleave.
The acute stroke nurse will be paged by ambulance crews if the thrombolysis drug is needed, which can break up clots and can limit the amount of disability after a stroke.
The 56-year-old, from Runcorn, said: “It can make a massive difference but not everybody is suitable for the drug and it has to be administered within four and a half hours of the stroke.
“The first time we used it was brilliant and we watched the patient walk out of hospital two weeks later.
“It was on my birthday and I felt like a kid on Christmas day after seeing it!”
PHYSIOTHERAPIST Catherine Zwart has a real hands on role.
The 35-year-old assesses what problems patients have with common things being weakness and balance.
She said: “Most people’s aims are to get walking again so it’s about putting the body in the right place and moving it in the right way rather than the way the stroke has left them.
“Strokes tend to affect one side and the other side of the body tries to take over which is why years ago you would see people dragging their legs.
“Our job is both sides and we use our hands and have to get up close and personal and put the body in the right place.
“I remember a patient many years ago who hadn’t walked for an awful long time and the day he did everybody was in tears in the room.”
FAMILIES often have to come to terms with unknown elements of strokes but occupational therapist Philipa Mottershead is there to help.
The 28-year-old looks at everyday activities and physical rehabilitation including people getting washed and dressed.
She said: “We focus on the things people want to achieve doing again independently and take people to our assessment flat in the hospital to see what they can do to care for themselves.
“Someone told us they wanted to be able to knit again so due to her weakness in her hands we helped her do it with a needle under her arm.
“We also look at the cognitive side and might see patients with memory problems after a stroke or unable to put every day tasks in a logical sequence like washing and dressing themselves.
“We get patients who start using their finger as a toothbrush so It’s about teaching the brain how to do something again.
“It can come as a shock to families so we try and support them too and make them aware it’s normal and there’s potential for it to get better.”
SPEECH and language therapist Rhian King works with people with swallowing and communication problems.
The 34-year-old said: “Some people have to have a period where they are nil by mouth or have slurred speech due to weaknesses in the face, mouth or tongue.
“We look at exercises to try and improve the strength of muscles.
“It can be very frustrating for people but every case is different how we treat it and the recovery.”
Dietician Kathryn Logan checks patients’ malnutrition levels.
The 26-year-old works closely with the speech team as if a patient has difficulty swallowing the patient’s diet has to be adjusted accordingly.
KEEPING patients’ spirits up on the ward is nursing assistant Karen Farnworth.
The 56-year-old said: “I wanted to work on this ward as my mum had a stroke and everybody works really hard here to try and help the families as much as we can.
“They come in and it’s a daunting world so we try to reassure them and sometimes I will read to patients or chat to them and bore them about my gardening!
“You can see even in the patients who can’t speak after a stroke when they are laughing.”
FRANK Chadwick is one of the thousands of patients treated every year by staff on the stroke ward.
The High Legh granddad was admitted to hospital the day before the Warrington Guardian visited the ward.
He added: “I was painting my front door and sat down because I was getting a headache.
“It felt like my head was shaking violently but fortunately I had my phone with me and phoned 999 and got rushed in here.”
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